Aphanocapsa
Aphanocapsa spp. · Phytoplankton
Under the microscope · Photo: CC0
May produce toxins
Only a lab test shows whether a bloom is toxic. Keep people, pets and livestock out of discolored or scummy water until it is tested.
How to identify Aphanocapsa
- Under the microscope: very small round cells scattered loosely through a shapeless clear jelly
- Cells pale blue green with no gas vesicles
- Colonies can be tiny or large and irregular
- In the water: rarely visible; can add a faint green haze
Similar species
Microcystis cells are larger, darker and tightly packed; Aphanothece looks similar but its cells are short rods instead of spheres.
Profile
| Season | Summer and fall. |
|---|---|
| Starts | About 60 F and up |
| Light | Moderate light |
| Depth | Open water |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Colony breakup and cell division |
| Habitat | Ponds, lakes and reservoirs from clear to nutrient rich. |
Why it matters in a lake
Very common in lab counts, usually in high cell numbers but low total biomass. Microcystin has occasionally been reported from it.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Common
- Oregon: Common
- Wyoming: Common
Classification
| Kingdom | Bacteria |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Cyanobacteria |
| Class | Cyanophyceae |
| Order | Chroococcales |
| Family | Microcystaceae |
| Scientific name | Aphanocapsa spp. |
Microcystis
Dolichospermum (Anabaena)
Aphanizomenon
Pseudanabaena
Planktothrix
Chroococcus
Merismopedia
Woronichinia
Limnothrix
SnowellaNeed a hand?
Worried about a bloom?
We identify algae under the microscope and test for cyanotoxins, so you know what is in the water and whether it is safe.
Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596